CHAPTER XXX.
Although there was no escape from the heat and the mosquitoes swarmed in the cool shadow of the wagons, and her little brother tossing about beside her kept pushing her, Maryanka having drawn her kerchief over her head was just falling asleep, when suddenly their neighbour Ustenka came running towards her and, diving under the wagon, lay down beside her.
'Sleep, girls, sleep!' said Ustenka, making herself comfortable under the wagon.

'Wait a bit,' she exclaimed, 'this won't do!' She jumped up, plucked some green branches, and stuck them through the wheels on both sides of the wagon and hung her beshmet over them.
'Let me in,' she shouted to the little boy as she again crept under the wagon.

'Is this the place for a Cossack--with the girls?
Go away!' When alone under the wagon with her friend, Ustenka suddenly put both her arms round her, and clinging close to her began kissing her cheeks and neck.
'Darling, sweetheart,' she kept repeating, between bursts of shrill, clear laughter.
'Why, you've learnt it from Grandad,' said Maryanka, struggling.

'Stop it!' And they both broke into such peals of laughter that Maryanka's mother shouted to them to be quiet.
'Are you jealous ?' asked Ustenka in a whisper.
'What humbug! Let me sleep.

What have you come for ?' But Ustenka kept on, 'I say! But I wanted to tell you such a thing.' Maryanka raised herself on her elbow and arranged the kerchief which had slipped off.
'Well, what is it ?' 'I know something about your lodger!' 'There's nothing to know,' said Maryanka.
'Oh, you rogue of a girl!' said Ustenka, nudging her with her elbow and laughing.